Can 275,000+ Visitors Be Enough to Revive the Fading Detroit Auto Show?
The Detroit Auto Show’s Mixed Bag: Is It a Success or a Flop?
The Detroit Auto Show, once the most significant event in the automotive industry, has been a topic of discussion lately. Depending on how you look at it, the show’s attendance figures for 2025 are either a success or a disappointment. With over 275,000 visitors attending the event, it’s the highest attendance since before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this number represents a 60% drop compared to 2019, when the show drew 774,179 people.
A Less Exciting Show
One of the reasons for the lower attendance could be the lack of major debuts at the show. Ford made the biggest splash by announcing the Mustang RTR and Mustang GTD Spirit of America, but neither was a completely new model. Up until the late 2010s, the Detroit show was packed with global debuts, including some that were genuinely exciting. The show’s organizers, however, are thrilled with the attendance figures.
CES Takes Center Stage
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) also took place recently, and while it’s not directly comparable to the Detroit Auto Show, it’s worth noting that the car section at CES was eerily quiet this year. Honda unveiled a pair of electric concepts, and BMW presented its new iDrive system, but that was about it in terms of big announcements from car brands.
Is the Car Show Relevant Again?
Can car shows become relevant again? It’s not unthinkable, but it’ll take some heavy lifting. In adapting to the restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, carmakers realized that they could reach more people (including buyers and members of the media) and hog the spotlight for a day or two by organizing their own unveilings. It’s cheaper than buying a space in a big show, too. Marketing is happy, and the folks in finance are too.
Another Point Worth Mentioning
Another point worth mentioning, though it’s more relevant in Europe than in the U.S., is that some of the numerous attempts to cast the car as evil may have worked. In France, for example, print car ads legally need to include warnings such as "use public transportation." Imagine if your next burrito came with a label that said, "Yo, buy a salad instead." If cars are bad, why would you attend a show to see thousands of them?
The 2026 Edition
The 2026 edition of the Detroit show, whose dates haven’t been announced yet, will add valuable context to 2025’s attendance figures. Only time will tell if the show can regain its former glory.
[Image: Ford Motor Company President and CEO Jim Farley stands between the Ford Mustang RTX (left) and the Ford Mustang GTD (right) at a Ford "Detroit Proud" event at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place on January 9, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.]
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